1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of training systems, and more particularly, to an interactive simulation training and certification system and a method for performing the same.
2. Background
Many corporations have a number of plant facilities, satellite offices and remote sites that are required to have their employees receive government-mandated safety training. Governmental agencies monitor and certify that the employees can conduct the required tests and procedures. At certain remote sites, governmental inspectors may arrive uninvited to review employees' ability to comply with safety procedures.
More specifically, in some facilities and sites related to oil and gas production and processing, there are very rigid, stringent safety rules and procedures set down by governmental agencies. For example, on offshore rigs, it is required that employees be able to check the platform's safety systems for integrity and operability.
Periodically, government inspectors visit the offshore rig and have the right to choose any employee to test the integrity of the safety system and exhibit their personal knowledge of the safety procedures. Previously, only a small, select group of employees had a working knowledge of the tests required for the safety system. With the broadening of governmental regulations, now it is desirous to have all employees trained to be able to test the safety system.
To ensure that the facility or site is not closed by governmental inspectors for employees' failure to follow government safety procedures, corporations have prepared a variety of training presentation systems. One common training system is a live presentation by a safety representative to a group of employees. This system allows the safety representative to be available to answer questions and tailor the presentation to the employees to be trained.
Another training system is a linear video program (i.e, film or slide show) which has a program structure, pace, selection of material and sequences laid out the same way for every employee. A linear video program for training employees in safety procedures would present safety rules, safety equipment in its location in the facility, and depict an employee properly using the equipment in accordance with the safety rules while explaining the dos and don'ts of such procedure. The drawback of the video program is that some parts of the program may not be applicable to a certain group of employees and that there is no provision to allow for questions from the employees.
The two above-mentioned training systems, linear video program and live presentation, require that the employee have only a passive role in watching what procedures are to be taken. This results in minimal retention by employees at either presentation. Also, if the employees are to be certified to work with certain safety systems, a separate test is required for each employee.
An employee's failure to pass the test, although it may be just one section of the test, would require the employee to sit through the entire presentation again. In other situations, an employee's time can be wasted in training and certifying his ability in areas in which he has expertise, because others in his class lack his expertise.
These two training systems view all employees as being equal and not having any particular expertise. Also, these two training systems do not allow the program to be tailored to an employee who might need more attention in a certain area. Therefore, group presentations, whether they be linear video programs or live presentations, become time-consuming and fail to address the individual needs of the employees. Also, in the certification phase, the employees who fail a part of the test are forced to review the entire program.